Body Language
by Dr. F. M. Obsesser
Summary: At Jimmy's house, a party is going on. People are talking meaningless words... but the body language of Jimmy and his guests say so much more than what reaches the ear. Holiday special.


**AN: This was originally written without any dialogue, but I then decided I could prove a greater point if I added dialogue… besides, it makes the characters seem more in-character. However, because the beginning sounded wrong with dialogue, I only put it in the second half.**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Jimmy Neutron nor any related characters.

Jimmy was in the corner of the room in his dry-cleaned suit, which against his will had been put on, and was lying against the wall, facing the staircase. His arms were crossed and his head was titled downward, looking at his feet, which were covered by his black dress shoes. His eyes soon were lifted from his shoes and glanced around the room at the party décor that was everywhere. Party snacks were dominating the just-visible table in the kitchen, balloons and streamers covered the living room, and festive colors had hidden everything else. The party had yet to begin, but his parents were already talking furiously with each other and Jimmy had been forgotten, like most home parties. However, unlike most parties, Sheen and Carl would not be here to help him remain entertained. They had both been able to go to Retroland today for the special "Christmas Eve Teen Night", and though he argued, Jimmy had been forced to stay home, entertaining the guests and hoping someone he knew came.

Jimmy's fingers began to strum and he quickly glanced at the wall clock: eight o'clock. The party had officially begun, and it would not end for another three hours. His mother walked into the living room, touching every little thing, making sure that everything was just as it should be. She noticed Jimmy and quickly scolded him for leaning against the wall and wrinkling his suit. Jimmy sighed and straightened up, patting down his suit, proving that it did not, in fact, have wrinkles. He then resigned to a chair and waited, thinking of all the places he rather be than here. He listed about 58 when his father came down the stairs, seeking approval of his outfit from his wife. Receiving such approval, Hugh moved towards the mirror to put on his duck pin, which took up to majority of his right half of his torso.

The doorbell rang, and Jimmy, Hugh and Judy instantly looked in the direction of the door. Judy put on a smile and went to the door, dragging Hugh with her. Jimmy stayed motionless in his chair, hoping that despite what he was told, his friends would be coming. He was soon disappointed and began slouching again. It was the next door neighbors, with their young six year old daughter. The adults soon moved toward the dining room, serving drinks and snacks. The young girl, clad in a warm yellow dress went towards Jimmy, soon jumping into conversation about what she was going to get for Christmas. Jimmy, knowing that it would be a while before anything else came up, smiled at the little girl and listened, ignoring all other distractions.

After hearing all about the newest pony stuffed animal, the Barbie princess castle with three towers (instead of two), and the real baby that cried when it was "hungry" (he had heard about that last one twice), Jimmy began to seek other people to chat with. He looked again up at the watch, surprised that thirty minutes had already flown by. Sally, the little girl he had been talking to, was being called by her parents and had to go. She jumped into Jimmy and gave him a big hug for listening, telling him that he was a lot more fun than her big brother who went to Retroland. He gave a small smile at the little girl, trying to hide the fact that he, no matter how much he liked her appreciation in the form of a small hug, stilled wished that, like her big brother, he was at Retroland.

He now realized that a lot more people were in the house. In the span of time that he was talking to Sally, most people had come over. They had taken over the dining room and the table that was once visible from where he was sitting was now blocked by the suits and dresses of the guests. Though the adults had all gathered in the dining room and the kitchen, their children had begun to take over the living room, where Jimmy was sitting. He had not noticed it before, but there were at least seven kids in the room all screaming and laughing. He crossed his arms more defiantly than before, and began to ignore all door bell rings. He looked around and watched the kids, once again wishing he was somewhere else, that he was someone else; he wished that he, like those kids, was having fun with his friends, instead of sitting at home, attending a party he never wanted to attend.

By the time someone else had caught his attention, it was already nine.

"Hey Jimmy."

Jimmy looked up the see the smiling face of Betty, who had apparently left Retroland early to go with her parents to the party.

"Hey yourself," He responded. "Why don't you grab a seat?" He motioned to the seat next to him on the couch. Betty walked over and sat in the seat next to Jimmy, putting her arm on the arm rest nearest him and leaning against it. She smiled at him and began to talk.

"You know, you really missed a great party at Retroland. They made all the rides faster than normal and extended the amount of time on a ride according to how many teens were on it. I mean, there were some rides that went on for fourteen minutes straight. Oh! You should have seen Nick! He went on that Octopus ride for five minutes and then puked like crazy! Nick! Can you believe it?"

"Wow!" Jimmy was impressed. "Nick threw up?"

"Yeah! Crazy huh?"

In attempt to change the subject, Jimmy said, "Yeah… so what are your plans for Christmas?"

Betty apparently didn't hear him. "Yeah, Retroland was amazing, it's a pity you couldn't – well, can't because it's still going on – go. Anyway, you really missed out on…" Betty continued going on about the great party he missed out on. Jimmy then adopted a new sitting position: legs and arms still crossed, he leaned against the back of his seat, looking at Betty with an asymmetrical smile while tapping his foot. He listened to her talk about how he should have been at Retroland, because it was a party he really missed out on. Jimmy, not wanting to have it more rubbed in his face, soon found himself looking around the room and at the clock as often as once a minute. He slouched more and glanced over whenever the doorbell was rung.

About forty five minutes after Betty began talking, the doorbell rang again. Jimmy looked over Betty's left ear to see who it was. It turned out to be no one the he knew. He looked back at Betty, ready to hear more of her overly stimulating conversation when he overheard his mother.

"Mr. and Mrs. Voretex, and Cindy too, it's so great that you could join us, come on in!"

He instantly stilled and looked back over Betty's ear. It was, in fact, the Vortexs. Mr. Vortex walked in and smiled at everyone; Mrs. Vortex followed with a clenched jaw but a smile on her face, and finally, in walked Cindy, hesitantly looking around for people she knew. Jimmy's eyes grew large, for he knew that the Retroland party ended at eleven and it was nine fifty. Why was she here? He unknowingly titled his head to the side and touched his shoulder. Why was he acting so strangely, suddenly he felt as though it was wrong to cross his arms and legs? He, for no reason known to him, uncrossed his legs and arms. The action was so sudden and uncalled for that even Betty noticed this sudden change of posture.

"What's with the suddenly uncrossed arms and legs?" She asked, unknown of the entrance of Cindy.

Jimmy gave a small smile and paid attention to Betty for a short while. "Oh, I dunno. I think it's cuz my foot is falling asleep." What he said wasn't exactly the truth, but it wasn't a lie either; his foot was falling asleep. Actually, it fell asleep almost ten minutes ago, but he felt no need to move his foot, not until now.

"Well, maybe it's because you're warming up to me." Betty said, attempting to be flirtatious.

Jimmy replied, "Maybe so."

With that, Betty began talking again and Jimmy, occasionally nodding his head and giving "uh huh"s and "gotcha"s, noticed the Betty hadn't observed his lack of interest. He took advantage of this and looked past her ear to stare at Cindy again. Cindy realized and turned towards him, with an amused smile on her face. Jimmy only smiled back. Cindy touched her shoulder and looked at Betty with an annoyed face, and then back at him. He got it.

Jimmy got up suddenly. "Hey Betty, I'm going to grab some food, you want any?"

"I'll join you if you don't mind."

Jimmy smiled and motioned his head toward the kitchen.

"Jimmy, I know where the kitchen is." Betty said with a confused look. "No need to hurt your neck."

Jimmy smiled, "Of course."

Together they walked towards the kitchen, looking at the almost depleted snacks. Soon, as planned, Jimmy's mom caught sight of them and started talking to Betty. Jimmy motioned that he would be waiting back by the couches. Betty nodded and smiled at Mrs. Neutron, with the right side of her mouth higher up than her left.

Back at the couch, Jimmy sat down tapping his foot. In no time at all, Cindy sat down next to him: with that the conversation began.

"Hey Neutron, so this is where you were. I didn't see you at the party and I figured you chickened out or something. But no, poor you was confined in your parents' party. You had to miss Retroland too… what a shame."

"Not you too," Jimmy sighed placing his head in his hands, with his elbows on his knees. "So are you going to tell me how great it was and how horrible it was that I missed it?"

"No." Cindy said, and Jimmy looked up from his hands and saw her smiling. "That is, unless you want me too. It wasn't that great anyway."

"I heard Nick threw up."

Cindy smiled at the memory. "Yeah, but that was the high point really, and when the high point of a party is someone throwing up, it can't be that great a party."

Jimmy smiled, telling himself for the first time that night that he would much rather be at home than at Retroland. He began talking about something else. "So what do you want for Christmas? The new pony stuffed animal perhaps?"

She hit him on the head and he simply smiled, knowing it was worth it. "No. I want a new punching bag."

Jimmy looked confused. "What happened to your old one? All your old punches hurt hard enough, and now you're getting a better punching bag?"

"Yes, it's shaped just like you." Cindy said with an evil smile.

Jimmy looked at her in horror. "You better be kidding."

"Actually, I am." Cindy said, a smile pulling at her lips. "But I really do need a new one, my old one broke."

"My god! If a punching bag breaks when you hit it, I can just imagine what will happen to me… AHH! Help!" Jimmy pretending that he was just attacked by Cindy and waved his white napkin above his head. She hit him again.

"Shut up. Anyway, what do you want for Christmas, Nerdtron?"

Jimmy broke into song, " 'All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth'."

She hit him again. "What is it with guys and saying that? It gets on my nerves…."

The words were endless, flowing from their mouths and yet, neither was paying attention to what was said. All that mattered was the other's body, the movements made. Look! She touched her face when Jimmy mentioned that she looked nice today, even though she hit him and told him it wasn't true. Watch as he is almost completely still as she speaks to him. Notice how she angles her shoulders and her feet so there is no entrance into their conversation from outsiders, Betty now being completely forgotten. The two mirror each other and lean more and more into the other. She fondles her hair and he scratches his neck. There is neither tapping nor any looking at watches. They stare at each other when speaking, letting time flow by….

It's almost time to go, the night is almost gone… one last touch, one last 'accidental' brushing.

If one was to listen to the words said, Jimmy and Cindy… they were, at best, good friends and Jimmy liked Betty. However, watch the body language, understand everything not said… and so much more is there.

Words are deceiving. But body language?

It never lies.


End file.
